By the time the MotoGP World✨ Championship returns to Silverstone in 2020, Petronas team principal Razlan Razali hopes they will have made history by claiming the first race victory for a satellite Yamaha.

Last weekend's Brᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚitish Grand Pr♕ix marked only the one-year anniversary since the Sepang team announced plans to join MotoGP, from 2019.

The opening twelve races have gone beyond the🃏ir wildest expectations. Rookie star Fabio Quartararo has celebrated three podiums and three pole positions, with Franco Morbidelli adding two front-row starts and a trio 💫of career-best fifth places.

"There’s no way we 🌊expected to be in this fantastic position after only twelve rounds of the 2019 season," Razali said.

"We were hoping for Franky to🍒 deliver top six ಞperformances and for Fabio to target rookie of the year. We didn’t expect both of them to do what they're doing and we’re extremely happy and satisfied with them."

"Without a doubt the biggest surp🥀rise ha꧅s come from Fabio," Razali added. "When we announced him as our second rider, a lot of people told us we made the wrong choice - but now everyone agrees we made the right decision!

"He’s deliv🐎ered the biggest surprise of the year, with a series of podiums, pole positions, top fives and top tens. He’s been fabulous, and he’s truly talented. Having pole position and second place at only the first European round in Jerez was exceptional."

But such success means the team's am🌳bitions will be even greater for 2020.

"For next year we’ve certainly set a benchmark standard for a 💮new team, so there’s more pressure for us in the second year," Razali admitted. "Of course, we want to do even better, and I’m sure both riders will continue to do well.

"I hope that by the time we arrive at this point in the 2020 season my 🌺ambition is to have at least one MotoGP win.

"Once you have a taste of success like a podium, a pole position or even a wi𓆉n, you crave for more. But no matter what we achieve, our goals remain the same aওnd it’s important for us to maintain our focus and our objective.

"I’m really looking for a win and a podium aꦡt the Malaysian Grand Prix though!"

Quartararo was denied another podium challenge by his turn one highside at Silverstone, but then fastest on both d𝓰ays of last week's Misano test (when Morbidelli was also in the top three), meaning Petronas 𝕴look set for plenty more podium opportunities leading up to their home round.

The following꧑ table shows the closest that satellite Yamaha riders have so far come to victory in MotoGP.

Closest to victory: Satellite Yamaha riders in MotoGP (2002 onwards)

+0.251s Johann Zarco (Tech3 Yamaha, 2nd) Argentina 2018

+0.337s Johann Zarco (Tech3 Yamaha, 2nd) Valencia 2017

+1.360s Colin Edwards (Tech3 Yamaha, 2nd) Donington Pꦗark 2009

+1.559s Cal Crutchlow (T🐎ech3 Yamaha, 2nd) Sachsenring 2013

+2.660s Fabio Quaꦅrtararo (Petronas Yamaha, 2nd) Barcelona 2019

(The closest of the second places by a satellite Yamaha).

Sepang will field an unchanged MotoGP rider line-up in 2020, altho♕ugh Quartararo's brilliant form means he will surely be upg🐻raded to join Morbidelli on factory spec machinery.

Also staying put is John McPhee, who handed the team its first grand prix win, in the Moto3 class this season. That leaves McPhee's future M🀅oto3 team-mate, plus the Sepang Moto2 riders as still to be confirme🍬d.

"For MotoGP, we’re continuing with Franco and Fabio and this should be an ওamazing combination for the team’s second season," Razali said.

"For Moto🧸2, we have some time to confirm our plans, whilst for Moto3 we announced John at his ho༒me race so half the line-up is in the public domain.

"Watch this space, we should have fur♔ther 🎐news soon…"